Not Fade Away
by Ceridwen
Summary: In the episode "Not fade Away", Iolaus and his father make-up a little bit too quickly and easily for me. So this fixes this!


H:TLJ Missing Scene: "Not Fade Away"

******Missing Scene**

******"Not Fade Away"**

**by Ceridwen**

_In the Episode "Not Fade Away", Iolaus met his father on the Other Side and finally made peace with him. However, I thought it was all a bit too easy and quick. I never accepted that Skouros just walked up' to Iolaus and apologized! There was something missing! Here is what I think it was and I must apologize for some inaccuracies - but hey, it's fan fiction, isn't it? Also sorry for taking a stroll down Memory Lane, but they are some of my favourites ... _

_Well, here it goes:_

Iolaus walked next to Persephone through the dark realm, which was Hades. He couldn't believe he was actually dead and was now facing eternity in this place. 

"It's difficult to get a tan down here." he noticed, giving the dark stone ceilings a disappointed look. 

Persephone gave him a warming smile. 

"Don't be so blue, Iolaus. You'll like it here. I know you will." 

"Yeah." he replied with a sigh. 

He didn't feel dead. But then he didn't really know what it felt like to be dead. He had never been dead before. Iolaus looked around and tried to imagine that this could be his home from now on. All the fibres in his body revolted against the thought. Even though Hercules was trying to save him, he had to face the possibility, that he would be going to the Elysian Fields. He wasn't ready. Many people would feel honoured to be able to go to the Elysian Fields, but he couldn't to leave Hercules behind. Not when there was still so much to do for him.

The end of the cave was filled with a group of arguing men. Iolaus smiled. 

"They don't seem too happy." 

Persephone followed his gaze. 

"Oh, those are fallen generals. They are doomed to discuss bad ulcers and military strategies for all eternity." 

Iolaus smiled at the idea. The hunter had his share of generals in his life and found this to be a suitable way for them to spend their afterlife. Just then a tall, grey-haired soldier in the middle of the group turned around, obviously angry at one of his fellow soldier's comments. He looked at the entrance to the room and caught sight of Persephone and the blonde hunter. Iolaus stood frozen as their eyes met. Persephone noticed Iolaus stiffen next to her. 

"Iolaus? What is it? What's the matter?" 

But the hunter only saw the form of the soldier approaching him until he stopped, towering over him. The soldier was in his late 50s and stood a full head taller than Iolaus. His piercing grey-blue eyes were those of a man, who had lived through many battles. Even in the dim light, his figure stood impressively and the armour he wore, made his body appear bigger and gave the man an even more massive look. A faint smile hushed across the soldier's face as he looked at Iolaus. 

"Well, well, well," he said. "What are you doing down here, boy?" 

A cold feeling grew in Iolaus' stomach as he heard the words. He returned an angry gaze. 

"Hello to you too ... Dad!" 

The soldier looked down at Iolaus and started to pace around him. The hunter stood with his hands crossed in front of his chest. 

"Well, I hope you were man enough to go down fighting." 

Iolaus sighted and shook his head in disbelieve. It felt like nothing had changed from the time he was a boy. 

"Yes, I was." he replied, wondering were the conversation was going but having a pretty good idea. 

"Good, then you can help me to convince some of those mutton-heads over there about the importance of my pincer movement at the battle of Hellaspont. Some of them were generals themselves, can you believe this?" 

Iolaus shook his head more in disappointment than in answer to his father's question. The soldier put his arm on the hunter's shoulder pulling him towards the room. 

"Good, then you can ..." 

Anger had outgrown the cold feeling in Iolaus' stomach. He pushed his fathers hands off his shoulders. 

"Firstly," he said, his voice not hiding the anger he felt. "My name is not *boy*, it's Iolaus." 

The general looked at him in surprise. "Ah, a little squeamish, are we? Well, death can do that to a man." 

Iolaus ignored the last comment as he continued," and secondly - don't you wanna know what happened to mother?" 

General Skouros looked over Iolaus' head into some distance. "No, I don't think about her much lately." 

Iolaus produced a dry laugh. "Did you ever?" 

"Watch your tongue, boy, I am still your commanding officer!" 

Iolaus' body straightened with rage. "No, you're not. You're a coward who deserted his wife and family." 

"Oh, Grow up, boy ! There were world wars to be fought. And I protected your right to be a cry baby in all of them." 

Iolaus had a hard time controlling his emotions as his eyes threatened to fill with tears.

"You know, mother really was the lucky one. She didn't know it when you left her, but she does now. She married a poet and she's never been happier." 

Iolaus watched his fathers eyes for any sign of emotion, but the soldiers face was just a stone carved, grey mask. Iolaus smiled in disgust. 

"So you can go back to your friends and tell them all about the slaughters you've seen." 

Skouros swallowed hard and looked into the cerulean eyes of the man in front of him - his son. 

"No," he whispered. "I don't think I will ... not now." 

He turned around and walked away. Iolaus stood trembling, fighting back tears of anger and sadness. 

Persephone stood and watched Iolaus and his father from a distance. The expression in their faces and bodies showed that they were not on friendly terms. She sighted sadly at Iolaus' obvious dispair. Persephone liked the blonde hunter and hated to see him so unhappy. 

When Hercules brought him into Hades' chamber, she was surprised to see that their friendship went so deep, that Hercules would fight hard and do anything to bring his friend back to life. Now, that she was getting to know Iolaus better, she understood why. If only there would be something she could do to help him. 

"Why so sad, my sweetness?" a voice brought her out of her thoughts. 

Hades had returned and stepped up behind her, putting his arms around her shoulders. She smiled at him warmly. 

"Oh, it's Iolaus. He is not happy here." 

Hades lead her hand to his mouth and planted a kiss on it. 

"Well, that's a natural reaction, my dear. He's dead. But don't worry, he'll get used to it." 

Persephone shook her head sadly. "It is not that Hades. It's ... his father." 

Hades looked at her in surprise. "His father?" 

Persephone nodded and looked towards the obviously arguing pair across the large hall. 

"Yes, didn't you know he was here?" 

Hades followed her motion and shrugged innocently. 

"Do you know how many general's I've got down here? I can't be expected to know all of them." 

His eyes concentrated on Skouros to seek some form of identification of the soldier. 

"Oh yes, that's ... what's his name ... yeah, I remember him. Came in a couple of years back. One of those annoying *honour, bravery, death* guys. I stuck him in with the other fallen generals. He is Iolaus' father?" 

Persephone nodded. 

Hades tilted his head to one side. 

"Well, I feel sorry for Iolaus, but don't worry, Sweetpea, Iolaus will either go back with Hercules or be going to the Elysian Fields by sunset. In both cases he won't have to see him anymore." 

He rubbed his gloved hands together and realized, that he had just solved another problem. 

"Good, that's that then." 

Persephone turned to look at her husband. 

"Hades, you can't leave it at that. This is the afterlife, for Zeus' sake. This might be the only chance they'll ever get to make peace. Can't you do something?" 

Hades looked around and shrugged uncomfortably. 

"Honey, you know how much work I have at the moment. And we wanted to go on holiday. I can't spare time to solve Iolaus' family problems." 

He put his hands around Persephone's shoulders to pull her into a hug, but she moved out of his embrace and gave him an annoyed look. 

"Fine," she said with determination "If you wont help him, I will." 

She turned and walked towards the blonde hunter, who now stood alone and watching as his father walked away. 

"But ... you can't ... Sweetie ..." Hades called after her, but she kept walking. He sighted and turned to walk back to his work chamber. 

Women...

Iolaus watched as his father walked away. Skouros was the last person he expected to see again. But then this was the Other Side and they were both dead. What did he expect? A little warning would have been nice though. 

The weight of emotions was too heavy and Iolaus had to sit down. 

Suddenly a figure moved to stand in front of him. He looked up to see Persephone, a sad smile on her face. 

"Family ..." he said, his voice thick with emotion. 

Persephone took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. 

"I know what parents are like," she said. "But this is the Other Side now. Can't you make peace with him?" 

Iolaus laughed. "It's not that easy, Persephone," he said. "He was never what you can call a father'. He left us when I was only little, leaving my mother to care for her and the family all by herself." Iolaus head sunk down to look at something at his feet. 

Persephone sat down next to him. "Why don't you tell me about it?" 

Iolaus took a deep breath and his gaze searched for the back of his father, as it melted into the group of soldiers. He shook his head as the memories overcame him. 

"Where can I start?" he whispered. "My father, *the famous general*!" he said with a mockery voice. "When my sisters and I were little, he came home, sometimes with his friends and companions ... and I had to hide. I was smaller than the other boys my age and he was embarrassed to have a son like me. His only son ..." 

Iolaus paused for a moment and leaned back against the wall behind them. 

"He only came home during his campaigns and never stayed long. I think he hated being at home and he was depressed and disappointed with me. I wasn't what he wanted and expected in a son and he made sure I knew it. Every opportunity he got, he told me. If not with his words, then with his fists." 

Iolaus was silent and stared at the ceiling. Then he shook his head and looked at Persephone. 

"I got so infuriated, that I ran away from home on more than one occasion. When I got older, I stopped running. I'd hit back, stood up against him, which would infuriate him even further. I wasn't a good son to my mother. I started to hang around with the wrong guys, stole things, got into fights ... I am not proud of what I have done." 

Persephone had sat next to him in silence, still holding his hand. She could feel the hunter's hand trembling as the memories overcame him. The goddess squeezed Iolaus' hand in reassurance as he continued. 

"Then I met Hercules and everything changed. We fought together, back to back and for the first time I knew what it felt like to have a friend, to be trusted. When we got older, we started to travel together. It was like a new life for me. I didn't go back home for some time as I felt too embarrassed about what I had done to my mother, the worries I had caused her ... and I didn't want to face ... him. Then I heard that he had been killed in battle. I didn't even know which battle it was, and I didn't care. I felt nothing at his death...no, that's not true. I felt betrayed. Betrayed, because he never had apologized to me or my mother." 

Iolaus smiled as he remembered his last visit with his mother. "She married a poet a couple of years ago and when I visited them, she looked so happy." 

Iolaus' voice was shaking as he tried to control his feelings as tears started to form in his eyes. 

"I know I can't blame him for what I did. I just wished he would admit that he made mistakes and that he feels sorry." 

Persephone glanced over to where Skouros was standing amongst the soldiers. 

"Well, I think he is paying for it all now. Are you happy to see him like this?" 

Iolaus' eyes went to stare at this father's form. "I don't know," he sighted "I guess ... not really. He has done a lot of bad things in his life, but who hasn't? In the end, he is my father and ... he was a hero and maybe he should be in this dark and sad place." 

Persephone smiled and put a comforting arm around Iolaus' shoulder. 

A motion behind them let them look up and they saw Hades standing behind them. He stood, his hands folded together in front of him and looked at Iolaus, his eyes stating that he had heard everything. 

"It is nice to see that you are already taking over the Relocation Department down here!" 

Iolaus gave the God of the Underworld an apologetic look. 

"Hades, I am sorry, I didn't ..." 

Hades raised a hand and stopped Iolaus in his tracks. 

"As it happens, I am just making some re-locations to free some space here and there. With all those earthquake people coming in, I need all I can find." 

He looked from Persephone to Iolaus and cleared his voice. 

"There are a couple of spaces free in the Elysian Fields ..." 

Iolaus and Persephone both looked at him in total un-comprehension. Hades sighted - his brilliance was obviously not recognized 

"Well, your father." he helped out. "I thought you liked him to maybe go to the Elysian Fields?" 

Iolaus tilted his head in bewilderment. 

"Have you been listening to anything I said?" he asked the God of the Underworld. 

Persephone looked at Hades. "He has been so horrible to Iolaus and his family. How can you sent him to the Elysian Fields?" 

Hades smiled. "Well, he has been down here for a while and I got the impression, he doesn't feel at ease with himself. He knows, he has done things wrong, just wont admit it. If he genuinely apologizes to Iolaus, he can go." 

Iolaus laughed dryly. "No offence Hades, but I think Hera will become the Goddess of Love and Mercy before he does that!" 

Hades smiled conspiratory. "You'll never know for sure until you've tried." He pointed at the other side of the room. "He is over there." he said "Why don't you go over and talk to him?" 

Iolaus raised his hands defensively "Hades I don't think, this ..." 

"He has been thinking about what you said." Hades interrupted. 

Iolaus looked at Persephone, whose face had now adopted an encouraging smile. 

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to try."

Iolaus caught sight of his father and walked towards him. Skouros hat left the group of arguing soldiers and sat on a rock with his head resting in his hands. Iolaus stood over him. He took a deep breath. 

"Father ..." he started. 

The soldier's head came up and looked into the blonde's blue eyes. 

"What do you want?" he whispered coldly. 

Iolaus sat down next to him. He never felt as uncomfortable as he did now. His hands were sweating as he turned to look into the general's weathered face. 

"I just wanted to say, I am sorry ... for what I said earlier. I just thought, you could have ... you might wanted to ..." 

Skouros raised his head to meet his son's eyes. "You thought what? Maybe that I would apologize to you?" 

Iolaus tried to read in his father's cerulean eyes, which were the same as his. 

"Well, actually ... yes." 

The general laughed dryly and shook his head. 

"Boy, you are really something. I don't see what I should apologize for. It should be you who should apologize. You have been a disappointment to me and your mother from the day you were born. I might have not been home much, but your mother told me everything you did." 

Skouros' expression turned into aversion. "Stealing, running away, raising your hand against your father ..." 

Iolaus moved away in shock. "That is not fair and you know it!" 

"Fair?" Skouros jumped up from his seat and towered over his son. "I tell you about fair. I hoped for a son who would grow up to be a man with honour, a soldier, somebody one could be proud of, somebody to trust, somebody who would take care of the family. And what did I get? A cry baby, who runs away from home, lives on the streets with thieves, steals ..." 

Iolaus voice was cold with disgust as he rose to stand in front of his father. 

"You know nothing about me!" he whispered. 

"I know enough to say that I am embarrassed to call you my son." 

Iolaus smiled coldly. "Looks like we have something in common afterall. I don't see you as my father. I never have. After the way you treated me...and mother, all I could see was a man who boosted himself to be honourable and brave but didn't have the guts to face his own 5-year old son." 

Iolaus brought his hands to his hips in defiance as he continued. 

"Honour and bravery? I tell you about honour and bravery. For years mother lied to the neighbours, her friends and others about where you were and why you didn't come home. She told everybody what a great hero you were, defending the country and fighting for what you believed. And bravery? Did you ever think about how she managed without the husband to support her and her family?"

Skouros face was slowly turning red with anger. "You wouldn't know what honour and bravery is if it hit you on the head." 

Iolaus' rage was now unstoppable. All the emotions he felt and suppressed for years were now overwhelming him. All the memories poured through his mind, images of his mother, his sisters and it was almost as if he could still feel the countless beatings he'd received from his father's hand. 

"How dare you speak to me about bravery?" he spat at the older man. "Look at you! You died in some pointless battle, people don't even remember anymore. Not you or the battle. Not even your family wants to remember. Your grave is in some far away country, nobody will ever visit it. Pathetic really, but it fits perfectly, I find." 

Iolaus was so enraged, that he never saw the strike coming. 

His father hit him straight across the face. The power behind the big man's strike threw Iolaus backwards and he crashed into the wall behind him, his head knocking against the stone wall. Blood started to trickle from his nose and the corner of his mouth. He shook his head to clear the dizziness away that now threatened to engulf him and looked up into Skouros' hate-filled eyes. 

Three soldiers had rushed in and restrained the general's arms, preventing him from throwing himself at his son. 

Iolaus produced a dry laugh. 

"You haven't changed," he said, wiping the blood out of his face with the back of his hand. 

He looked at his hand in disgust. 

"You will never change." 

Then Iolaus turned around and faced Hades, who had been watching the scene. Iolaus gave the God of the Underworld a despiteful look. 

"There is no point." he whispered and pushed him out of his path as he walked away. 

Hades watched Iolaus go until he disappeared behind a corner. Then he turned around to face the still enraged general. He took a deep breath and motioned the soldiers. 

"Let him go!" he ordered harshly. 

The soldiers released Skouros' arms. The general straightened his body and rubbed his arms. 

"Well," he started "What do you say? That boy needs manners. That is not the way to speak to ..." 

"Be quiet!" Hades cut his sentence off, the weight of his voice not allowing any objections. 

He had it with generals. What was it with those guys? Didn't they get anything? If it was up to him, he'd lock them all up together and through the key away. Actually it was up to him and so far he had thought up some pretty good punishments for them, but there must be some other way. 

"You still don't get it, do you?" he said. "You are dead and you haven't spent one minute reflecting on your life ..." Hades motioned into the direction Iolaus had marched off. "... or his. He is your son, for Zeus' sake. You should be making peace with yourself and with him, but instead you behave like nothing has changed for you." 

Skouros watched with un-comprehension as Hades continued. 

"Well, I've got news for you, Pal. Your son is one of the bravest and most courageous people I have ever met. Have you ever taken the time and looked at what he has achieved in his life? Did you ever look behind his appearance?" 

Skouros stood determined. "I have seen where he was heading ... he is not a ... he could never ..." 

Hades laughed. "I think it is time, you met your son, General Skouros." 

With those words, he pushed the soldier down on a chair and with a circular movement of his gloved hand, he opened a window ...

__

__

_Iolaus stood, shaking and panting with his fists raised. The larger boy, the leader of the group, which had ambushed and surrounded him in a side street, stood in front of the smaller boy, his arms crossed in front of his chest. _

_"Well, if it isn't the Cry Baby'!" he shouted to his comrades. "Isn't that what your father calls you?"_

_Iolaus' face was red with anger. "Ah, he's not worth the effort. Just give us your money and we'll let you go home to Mama!" _

_Iolaus straightened his body and stared proudly at the taller boy. "Why don't you try and take it?" he snared. _

_The taller boy hesitated at the defiance starring at him. Iolaus smiled viciously at his opponent's hesitation _

_"Ah, the big Tauron - a little scared, hum?" _

_Tauron looked at him in disgust. _

_"Get him!" he ordered and eight boys charged at Iolaus. _

_He was hopelessly outnumbered but managed to deliver some vicious blows to his attackers. The little blond boy was too busy fending his attackers, that he never noticed Tauron picking up a piece of wood and sneaking up behind him. With a vicious smile, the tall boy raised his hand to bring the bat crashing down on Iolaus' head. As the hand started it's decent, it suddenly encountered resistance. Another boy had stepped in and positioned himself behind Iolaus back. He was tall and had grabbed Tauron's hand holding it in a firm grip. _

_"Pick on someone your own size!" he commented dryly and whacked the hand holding the bat forwards into Tauron's own face. _

_The boy saw stars and crashed to the floor. Iolaus had only time to quickly glance around and smile at his helper, then the two stood, back to back and boys finished off the gang. Battered but smiling they shook hands as they stood over the bodies of the knocked out boys. Iolaus' smiled up at the boy, who stood one head taller than himself. _

_"Thanks for your help, man." he said catching his breath. _

_The taller boy smiled. _

_"Any time. Not that it looked you'd needed it though. My name is Hercules. What's yours?" _

_"Iolaus." _

_"Well, nice to meet you, Iolaus. You've got some nice moves!" _

_Iolaus smiled at his new found friend _

_"Yours aren't bad either, Herc!".........._

__

_A group of soldiers stood around a table. Hercules and Iolaus smiled and looked at the man at its head. _

_"Jason," said Hercules "The King of Corinth has brought back the Golden Fleece!" _

_Jason smiled at all of them. _

_"No, Argonauts," he said in a festive voice "we have done it together. And I want to thank you, Hercules and Iolaus. Your bravery has inspired all of us. We would have never done it without you." _

_The men raised their glasses._

_"To Hercules and Iolaus!" Archivus shouted. _

_"To Jason!" offered Otis. _

_"To heroes!" said Iolaus. _

_Everybody looked at him and laughed. Bringing their glasses together, they exclaimed: _

_"To heroes!" ..._

__

_Iolaus stood at the fence of his house and looked into Anja's beautiful eyes. _

_"I promise, I'll be back soon." he said trying to reassure her. _

_"You better," she replied biting back tears, "Otherwise I'll have to marry somebody else!" _

_"Then you'd be settling for second best, because there is nobody, who loves you as much as I do !" _

_He pulled her into a passionate embrace ..._

__

_Hercules and Deianeira stood at the door to the small bedroom in Iolaus' house and watched helplessly. Tears streamed down Iolaus' ashen face as he held his wife in his arms. _

_Anja was dying. _

_"Don't leave me " Iolaus pleaded. "I can't do this without you ... I can't ... what about our son?" he motioned at the nearby cod, where their newly born baby was laying. _

_"You can't leave us ... please ... Anja ..." his voice broke under the pain and the tears. _

_More time. _

_He wanted more time. _

_Anja smiled at him softly and brought her pale hand up to caress his cheek. _

_"I will always love you, Iolaus." she whispered. _

_Her voice was so weak, he thought, so far away. _

_"You will be a wonderful father." _

_"No ... no ... I can't do this alone ... please ..." _

_He held her close to him, wishing he could transfer some of his strength into her withering body. The hunter felt her warmth against his body and knew the moment she died. The last breath left her still form, her heart stopped and her head fell gently to the side to rest on his chest. _

_"Anja?" Iolaus asked fearfully. _

_"Anja ... Noooo!" he cried. _

_Hercules and Deianeira moved up behind him. The blonde woman put her arm comforting around the hunter's shoulders and Hercules covered Anja's body with a blanket. In silence, they watched their friend cradle his wife's lifeless body in his arms. No words could help to relieve such grief ..._

****

__

_Iolaus stood laughing, picking straw out of his tousled, blonde hair. Deianeira shook her finger warningly and smiled at him. _

_"How often did I tell you not to beat up Hercules?" _

_Iolaus laughed. "Ah, there were a couple of new moves I wanted to try out, that's all. He was just lucky you came when you did." _

_She looked at him sadly. "Well, we're just lucky you came when you did, too." _

_The hunter's face became serious. "Why, what's wrong?" _

_Deianeira turned to make sure Hercules had gone into the house. "Well, it's like he's going stir-crazy just being around the house." _

_Iolaus leaned against the wooden pillar behind him. His face gained a sad expression. "I know what that feels like," he sighted. "I never would have thought it would be so difficult being a father and a mother." _

_Deianeira stepped forward and took his hands in hers._

_"Anja would be so proud of you." _

_He smiled sadly. "I just wish she could see me, that's all." _

_Deianeira's heard went out to the blonde hunter. _

_"Come here," she said and pulled him into a comforting embrace ..._

****

__

_The bar was crowded with people. Iolaus stood facing the black haired woman. Her eyes were as black as her hair as they focused on him. _

_"Where is Hercules?" she asked her voice showing no sign of emotion. _

_"He is not here_

_Iolaus looked at her more closely "Wait a minute, you're the Enforcer ! You're supposed to be dead!" _

_Her black eyes stared at him. _

_"I am back." she snared as she turned and headed for the door. Iolaus looked around him. He had to stop her, but the inn was full of people, people who could get hurt or killed. He ran towards the door to block her way. _

_"Everybody, get out of here as quick as you can!" _

_She stopped a foot short in front of him and gave him a questioning look. Iolaus glanced at her in defiance. _

_"You'll get to Hercules over my dead body!" _

_He thought about what he had just said and to whom he had just said it. _

_" over my strong objection!" he corrected himself. _

_He had to try everything to stop her from reaching Hercules, but he knew, had had no chance. _

_It was just a question of how long he could delay her ..._

****

__

_Iolaus stood with Hector and Linus in the royal bedroom. He looked down at a piece of paper which had been attached to a dagger, driven into the pillows on the bed. _

_"It is a trap!" Hector commented. _

_Iolaus nodded and looked into the distance, assessing their options. _

_"Yes, I know. But we should take the bait anyways." _

_Hector was outraged. "It's too dangerous. If you die, I loose both my kings!"_

_Iolaus turned round and looked insulted at his two companions._

_"I wont die ... at least I hope I won't ..." and more to himself, he added "Hercules wouldn't". _

_"It's too risky" Linus added. _

_Iolaus looked firmly at both of them. "I promise you, one way or another - you will have a king"._

****

__

_Leandra stood in the clearing and looked at her grandson. His hand held a black medallion shaped like an entangled snake. _

_"This is the only thing I have from my father. He was wearing it when he was found abandoned at the river. "_

_Recognition built up in her eyes as she looked at the medallion._

_"This was my husbands. My son wears it to play soldiers. Where is he? Can I see him? Will he even remember me?". _

_Iolaus felt it was time for the painful truth. "Leandra, your son ... my father ... is dead." _

_Leandra looked at him as tears formed in her eyes. _

_"No!" she whispered. "I should have never let him out of my sight!"_

_Iolaus pulled her into a gentle embrace. _

_"I am sorry " he said. " It happened in battle. He became a great soldier ... a general" _

_"Like his father before him. Sons take after their fathers. I am sure you are a reflection of him." _

_Iolaus' eyes sank uncomfortably to the floor. _

_"In a way..." he whispered._

****

_Iolaus wiped the blood away from his face as he walked away from Haephestus' forge. Suddenly he felt a sword at his throat and turned around slowly to face the God of Fire. Haephestus' face was cold. _

_"You destroyed my dog, bested my shield and defeated my armoured warriors" _

_Iolaus turned slowly to face the him. "Where is Aphrodite?" he demanded defiantly. _

_Haephestus lowered his weapon and his face adopted a gentle smile. _

_"You brought her to me and for that I will be forever grateful!" _

_Aphrodite stepped out of the bushes and clung her arm around Haephestus. _

_"Hello, Sweetcheeks," she said to the blonde hunter. "Sorry I didn't help you with those moves you showed me." she turned to the God of Fire and her hand made its way down his back. "I was showing Hephy here some moves of my ow !" _

_Haephestus' face turned red with embarrassment. "Dite! Please!" _

_Iolaus mouth dropped open "Dite?" he asked in amusement. _

_The Goddess of Love smiled at him. "Well, the God of Fire only takes a little spark to start an awesome flame." _

_Haephestus turned back to Iolaus. "I owe you a great dept. If you and Hercules ever need weapons ..." _

_"Hercules doesn't do weapons!" Aphrodite interrupted. She glanced at Iolaus. _

_"Go and make somebody happy, Curly.... or don't you and Hercules don't do that either_?"

__

_Pandeon watched silently as Iolaus and his mother said farewell. _

_"I am sorry, mother, I would have come home earlier, if I hadn't thought ..." _

_"That I'd miss you? That you didn't matter to me? You should have know better!"_

_Iolaus' eyes sank to the floor. "But I caused you so much trouble." _

_"You were a child, Iolaus. And when you were lost and couldn't find your way. I believed in you and you've proved me right." _

_His mother stood and looked firmly into Iolaus' cerulean eyes. _

_"I am proud of you, my son!" she said. _

_Tears formed in the hunters eyes as she pulled him into her arms. As they parted he smiled at her with all the love of his heart. He turned to Pandeon and shook his hand in a warrior's handshake. _

_"Don't be a stranger, Iolaus," he said. "You're always welcome!" _

_Iolaus nodded. _

_"Come back soon." Erythia added. Iolaus smiled warmly. _

_"I will ... I promise." _

_He took his sword and turned to walk out. Outside, he shouldered his sword and a big smile lit his face._

__

_The only thing on Iolaus' mind was to find Hercules. _

_The new enforcer was worse then before and he had not been able to defeat her. She had left him for dead after they fought in the clearing and as he regained consciousness, he struggled to make his way to warn his friend. The pain in every part of his body robbed him of his breath, but he forced himself to keep going. His eyes were swollen and filled with tears of pain, yet he could see Hercules and two other figures below him at the familiar lake. _

_"Herc ..." _

_His voice sounded like it was coming from somebody else's body. But his friend had heard him and turned to look up. Iolaus stumbled and fell down the hill into the arms of his best friend. _

_"There is ... a new enforcer ... at Hera's temple ... worse than before ..... she's after ... y-ou ..." _

_A last spasm of pain went through his battered body and his limbs went still in Hercules' arms. _

_"Iolaus...NOOOO!" _

_Hercules' scream of agony and knowledge that his best friend had given his life protecting him ripped through the countryside .... _and through Hades' chamber_._

Skouros felt Hercules' pain soar through his own head and he gasped for breath as the power of the emotions drove him to his knees. The vision window had closed and Hades stood towering over him, his arms crossed in front of his chest. The general looked up at the God of the Underworld. 

"I never knew ... how could I have known " he whispered in confusion. 

Hades watched him in silence. Skouros' eyes averted towards the ground. 

"So much pain ... so much agony in his life and still, he did so much good, helped so many." 

In disbelieve, he looked up into Hades' face. 

"He took on the Gods ... for what he believed ... for his friend ... for Hercules." 

Tears streamed down the General's cheeks. 

"It was my fault. I should have never ... said the things I did. I realize now. I drove him away ... from his mother, from his home ... my home. It was easier to leave them than to stand by them. I was too blind to see." 

The soldier sat crouched into himself, weeping. "What have I done?" 

Hades looked at him. 

"It is not too late, Skouros." he stated. "Iolaus is hurt, but he is brave and has a good heart. He will forgive you, if you face him, honestly and openly." 

Skouros shook his head, disgusted at himself. "How can I? After what I have done to him? I spoke to him of honour and bravery ... what did I know?" 

He buried his face in his hands. "I hit him. It wasn't the first time ... he will never forgive me." 

Hades looked across the room. 

"Why don't you think about everything." 

He spotted Iolaus sitting on a rock on the other side of the large chamber. 

"Iolaus is over there. When you feel you're ready, do what you think is best." 

Hades put an encouraging hand on the old soldier's shoulder and walked away to find Persephone. 

Skouros sat weeping.

Hades had found Persephone. She had spent the past hours comforting Iolaus and had just left him to search for her husband. She now walked next to him in silence as they went to find Iolaus and check on the situation. The God of the Underworld wasn't sure whether he liked his beautiful wife, daughter of Demeter, to spent so much time with Iolaus. She seemed to cling to the hunter's arm a little too often and the smile she gave Hercules' friend almost resembled the smile he thought was reserved for him. Hades shook his head. Na, he thought, she's just trying to comfort him. She is very compassionate. 

Secretly though he wished, Hercules would hurry up and defeat Hera's latest enforcer, so he could send Iolaus back. He wasn't very excited about the idea of Iolaus and Persephone spending any more time together. Those mortals and their feelings. How could anybody make any sense out of it? 

The couple spotted Iolaus sitting where Persephone had left him. 

"He behaves like his pet-parrot has died." Hades decided. 

Persephone stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at him. 

"Hades, sometimes you're such a jerk." 

Hades returned an innocent look "What did I say?" 

"Everything except what you should have. He is thinking about his father!" 

As the pair approached the hunter, he stood up and gazed at the figure of his father across the room. Persephone stood at his side and gently touched his arm. 

"Iolaus, are you all right?" she asked with a worried voice. 

Hades gave her a surprised and confused look. That was a little too compassionate for his liking! 

Iolaus looked at her and smiled. But the smile didn't reach his eyes. 

"Yeah, I am fine. It's just that ..." he sighted at the soldier's figure across the chamber. "Is he so different from me? I mean he has is strengths and weaknesses - boy, does he have weaknesses. I can't blame him for my behaviour. I just ..."

Suddenly he noticed that Skouros had crossed the room and now stood in front of him. The general took a deep breath and it was as if it took all his strength to speak. 

"I have lied to you, son," he began. "I thought of your mother and you kids every single day after I walked out on you. I was just too ashamed to come back." 

Iolaus saw the struggle in his fathers eyes. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled gingerly. 

"I am sorry you felt that way. And I guess, I shouldn't have said the things I said." 

Skouros looked into his son's eyes and for the first time noticed how very much he looked like his mother.

"No, I deserved every bit of it!"

__

**_Well, you all know the rest ......._**


End file.
